As families grow, so do their requirements in terms of car size. And when five seats just won’t cut it anymore, there is a variety of seven-seaters on offer as an alternative to a van.
These range from budget-conscious entry-level models to full-scale luxury SUVs that all share one key feature: seating capacity.
After doing some window shopping across local virtual showroom floors, The Citizen Motoring has selected six seven-seaters across a wide budget range.
Renault Triber
Starting at R218 999, the Renault Triber is the most affordable seven-seater in the new car market. Recently facelifted, the compact MPV has received significant safety improvements.
It now comes standard with six airbags, ABS with EBD, a tyre pressure monitoring system and seatbelt reminders for both front and rear passengers.
With all seven seats up, the Renault Triber features a modest boot space of 84 litres. This goes up to 625 litres with the third row folded flat.
As expected at this price, power comes from a modest 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine that produces 52kW of power and 92Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a choice of five-speed manual or automated manual transmission.
Suzuki Ertiga
The Ertiga has been a runaway sales success for Suzuki. Starting at R304 900, it offers space, comfort, efficiency and reliability.
The 153 litres of luggage space available behind the third row goes up to 550 litres with the third row folded down.
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Its trusty 77kW/138Nm 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is mated to a five-speed manual or a four-speed auto box.
Hyundai Alcazar
The Alcazar, which started life in South Africa as the Grand Creta, is a step up from the first two. It starts at R499 900 and is offered with two engines across three trims.
In top spec Elite trim, the car features fold-out tray tables for second-row passengers, while all models come standard with USB charging ports across all three rows.
The Hyundai Alcazar offers 579 litres of boot space behind the second row, which drops to 180 litres with the third row upright.
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While the 117kW/191Nm 2.0-litre petrol is the range’s entry point, the oil-burner is an enticing prospect. The 85/kW/250Nm 1.5-litre diesel mill only sips 5.9 litres per 100km compared to the petrol variant.
Mahindra Scorpio-N
The Scorpio-N is technically a rival to the more expensive Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest, yet serious value for money at a starting price of R489 999. Safety is compromised at the lower end of the scale, with the entry-level Z4 only offering two airbags compared to the Z8’s six.
Boot space behind the second row is 786 litres, which drops to below 200 litres with all seven seats in use.
The whole range is powered by Mahindra’s tried and trusted 129kW/400Nm 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine. The mill sends the twist to all four wheels in the 4XPlor models via a six-speed auto transmission.
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Volvo XC90
The quintessential luxury seven-seater, the Volvo XC90 has been a familiar sight on South African roads since the first generation arrived in 2002. In typical Volvo tradition, it is as safe as a house.
The XC90 range starts with the B5 AWD Plus Dark at R1 555 500. The mild-hybrid is powered by a 183kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with electrical assistance. The T8 plug-in hybrid models pump out 340kW/709Nm and also offer an all-electric driving range of up to 77km.
The Volvo XC90 offers 301 litres of boot space with all seven seats in use, which goes up to 980 litres with the third row folded flat.
Range Rover
The iconic design of the L460 generation has found favour with clients the world over. It offers a more restrained look than its rivals from Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach.
The fit and finish are superb, and the materials are first-rate. In fact, the Range Rover does come across more as a luxury limousine than a practical seven-seater family car. It is offered exclusively in Autobiography trim starting at R4 084 300.
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